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CNA Staff, May 18, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Teresa Rodriguez was working as a hospice nurse, seeing patients at a memory care facility, when she realized that her patients were not being offered any spiritual services. While speaking with a patient and the patient's husband one day, the idea was proposed of organizing a time to pray the rosary. Rodriguez immediately decided to make that happen.

"That day I talked to the activities director … and she was thrilled. [She was] so excited that we would even consider coming in and praying with the residents," Rodriguez told CNA in an interview. 

At the time, Rodriguez was leading a Bible study at her parish, Sacred Heart of Mary in Boulder, Colorado. She asked the women in her Bible study if anyone would be willing to volunteer to pray the rosary with patients at a memory care facility. Two of them volunteered to go with her. 

The event was quickly a success. What started as a once-a-week event quickly became twice a week, and then three times. Rodriguez placed bulletin announcements in the surrounding parishes and was able to gather more volunteers. This marked the beginning of what is now known as the Rosary Team, which started in 2019 and today is made up of over 500 volunteers in 18 states.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rosary Team held Zoom rosaries that were broadcast throughout the facilities. Once they began to reopen, Rodriguez reached back out to facilities to see if they could hold in-person rosaries again and, much to her surprise, there was even more excitement about having individuals come in to pray the rosary with the residents. 

Over the years, Rodriguez has had a plethora of moving experiences with residents at the memory care facilities. 

"One that really got to me was I was praying with one resident and she said to me after we were done praying, 'That's the first Hail Mary I've prayed in 45 years,'" Rodriguez recalled. 

She added that at times they encounter residents who can't speak or can only say very few words, "then, all of the sudden, we start praying the rosary with them and they say out loud the prayers of the rosary."

Melanie McClanahan, a Rosary Team volunteer, said her time volunteering with the ministry "has been a miracle in my life and I see how it is a miracle in the lives of others. I have watched people heal, including myself; I have seen family members come together, and I have watched people who weren't sure about their beliefs grow in their love of Jesus and their devotion to our Blessed Mother."

When asked why it's so important to do work like this with the elderly and memory-impaired, Rodriguez said: "The elderly are quiet and we don't see them a lot — due to their health issues and their mobility — and they can be easily forgotten, especially when they're in facilities, when they're not out at our parishes, not in our neighborhoods, or in the grocery stores. They're such an easy group to forget and we don't want to forget them."

"This is a pro-life issue in pro-life ministry, that we need to take care of people from conception to natural death, and this is a part of caring for them and, you know, acknowledging them, and giving them love," she added.

Rodriguez said she hopes that both volunteers and residents are being impacted by this ministry and that "the faith and love for God grows through the Rosary Team, and through the volunteers and the residents praying together."

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Vatican City, May 18, 2025 / 06:58 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday formally began his ministry as head of the 1.4 billion members of the universal Catholic Church, acknowledging divisions among the faithful with a call for fraternal communion and unity at his inaugural Mass.

Addressing an estimated 150,000 people crowded into St. Peter's Square and the surrounding streets, the 69-year-old pope, elected May 8, said, "I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world."

Under Pope Francis, the Church experienced internal division over issues of liturgy and moral doctrine on sexuality and the family, including the approval of the blessing of same-sex couples.

At the Mass, concelebrated with the members of the College of Cardinals, Leo expressed his intention to "come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God's love, for he wants us all to be united in one family."

Leo XIV has indicated his desire for collegiality from his first moment as pope, when he spoke about walking together as a united Church in his opening words to the world on May 8, following the announcement of his election. He also held an early meeting with cardinals where they were invited to speak up on whatever issue concerned them, something that had not happened under Francis since 2014.

Reflecting on the qualities expected in the successor of St. Peter, he said, "if the rock is Christ, Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him."

Hundreds of religious and international leaders and dignitaries, representing nearly 200 foreign delegations, attended the Mass for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome on May 18, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

In his homily, Leo spoke about the conclave that chose him to be the Church's 267th pope: "Coming from different backgrounds and experiences, we [the cardinal electors] placed in God's hands our desire to elect the new Successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome, a shepherd capable of preserving the rich heritage of the Christian faith and, at the same time, looking to the future, in order to confront the questions, concerns and challenges of today's world."

"Love and unity: these are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus," the pontiff added.

Quoting St. Augustine — who inspired the religious Order of St. Augustine, to which he belongs — Pope Leo XIV said, "The Church consists of all those who are in harmony with their brothers and sisters and who love their neighbor."

The pope lamented the discord and wounds of our time; "For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world."

Before delivering his homily, Leo received the symbols of the papacy, the pallium and the fisherman's ring, in a richly-symbolic rite including an act of obedience and fidelity from representatives of the College of Cardinals and "the people of God."

The pallium, a narrow band made of white lamb's wool, was draped over his shoulders. The pallium, which has two black flaps and three pins representing the nails of Christ's cross, symbolizes the bishop as the good shepherd and Christ the Lamb crucified for the salvation of the human race.

The gold fisherman's ring, a part of the papal insignia since the first millennium, has the image of St. Peter with the keys and fisherman's net, a symbol of authority and the duty entrusted to St. Peter by Jesus, to be "a fisher of men."

After the sung proclamation of the Gospel in Latin and Greek — the passage from the Gospel of John, when Jesus asks Peter, "do you love me," and commands him to "feed my lambs" and "tend my sheep" — Cardinal Dominique Mamberti placed the pallium around Leo's shoulders and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F..M. Cap., recited a prayer.

With visible emotion, Leo received the fisherman's ring from Cardinal Luis Tagle, looking at the ring and then lifting his face in prayer.

His papal name and elements from his coat of arms — the fleur-de-lis, a symbol of purity and the Virgin Mary, and a pierced heart, the traditional symbol of the Augustinian order — are engraved on the inside of the ring.

Before the Mass, Pope Leo XIV took his first ride in the popemobile, standing and waving to the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square and Via Conciliazione, the main thoroughfare to the Vatican basilica.

The rite for the beginning of the pontificate started with Leo praying at the tomb of St. Peter together with the cardinals, who then walk in solemn procession together through St. Peter's Basilica to St. Peter's Square. 

An image of our Mother of Good Counsel from the Italian Sanctuary of Genazzano, which Leo visited on May 10, in one of his first acts as pope, was placed to the left of the altar.

"This is the hour for love!" Pope Leo said in his homily. "The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: If this criterion 'were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?' (Rerum Novarum, 21)."

"With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God's love," he continued, "a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made 'restless' by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity."

At the end of Mass, Leo appealed for "a just and lasting peace" around the world, especially in Gaza, Myanmar, and Ukraine, and sang the Regina Caeli, a Marian antiphon for the Easter season.

In addition to international leaders and dignitaries, a large number of religious representatives attended the first papal Mass, including members of the Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrianism, and Jainism religions.

Around 36 different Christian churches or organizations were also represented, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Patriarch Theophilos III of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem in attendance.

Jewish leaders from Italy, Israel, and the United States also came to the Mass, including the head rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni.

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CNA Newsroom, May 17, 2025 / 23:50 pm (CNA).

Follow our live coverage as Pope Leo XIV, first U.S.-born pope in history, begins his pontificate: Experience history in the making with former Cardinal Robert Prevost.

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Vatican City, May 17, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among numerous international leaders and dignitaries, representing approximately 200 foreign delegations, who will attend Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass at the Vatican on Sunday, May 18. 

The global leaders and representatives who will be present in St. Peter's Square for the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass include: 

Americas

JD Vance, vice president of the United States

Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state of the United States

Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada

Rodney Williams, governor general of Antigua and Barbuda

Teresa Susana Subieta Serrano, ambassador of Bolivia to the Holy See

Javier Milei, president of Argentina

Joseph Curry, ambassador of the Bahamas to the Holy See

Milton Inniss, ambassador of Barbados to the Holy See

Geraldo Alckmin, vice president of Brazil 

Manuel José Ossandón, president of the senate of Chile

Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia

Arnoldo André Tinoco, minister for foreign affairs and worship of Costa Rica

Salvador Valdés Mesa, vice president of Cuba

Raquel Peña Rodríguez, vice president of the Dominican Republic

Félix Ulloa, vice president of El Salvador

Daniel Noboa, president of Ecuador

Alrich Nicolas, representative of Haiti

Alfredo Vásquez Rivera, ambassador of Guatemala to the Holy See

Rebeca Ráquel Obando, president of the supreme court of justice of Honduras

Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez, interior minister of Mexico

Maurizio Gelli, concurrent ambassador of Nicaragua to the United Kingdom

Javier Martínez-Acha, minister of foreign affairs of Panama

Santiago Peña, president of Paraguay

Dina Boluarte, president of Peru

Matteo Forconi, honorary consul of St. Kitts and Nevis in Florence

Gilbert Chaguory, ambassador of St. Lucia to the Holy See

Ruediger Ackermann, honorary consul of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Germany

Colin Connelly, ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to Belgium and the European Union  

Ricardo Duarte Vargas, charge d'affaires of Uruguay to the Holy See

Carmen Meléndez Rivas, mayor of Caracas, Venezuela

Europe

Bajram Begaj, president of Albania

Patrice Faure, representative of the Co-Prince of Andorra Emmanuel Macron 

Xavier Zamora, prime minister of Andorra

Vahagn Khachaturyan, president of Albania

Christian Stocker, chancellor of Austria

Sahiba Gafarova, president speaker of Azerbaijan

Ihar Sierhiejenka, president speaker of Belarus

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

Borjana Krišto, chairwoman of the council of ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Rosen Zhelyazkov, prime minister of Bulgaria

Andrej Plenkovic, prime minister of Croatia

Constantinos Kombos, minister of foreign affairs of Cyprus

Marek Výborný, minister of agriculture of the Czech Republic

Susanne Shine, ambassador of Denmark to Belgium, Luxembourg and Vatican State 

Lauri Hussar, president speaker of Estonia

Anders Adlercreutz, minister of education of Finland

François Bayrou, prime minister of France

Mikheil Kavelashvili, president of Georgia

Friedrich Merz, federal chancellor of Germany

Julia Klöckner, president of the Bundestag, Germany

Sofia Zacharaki, minister of education and religious affairs of Greece

Tamás Sulyok, president of Hungary

Einar Gunnarsson, ambassador and permanent representative of Iceland in Geneva

Michael Higgins, president of Ireland

Vjosa Osmani, president of Kosovo 

Evika Silina, prime minister of Latvia

Prince Alois of Liechtenstein 

Brigitte Haas, prime minister of Liechtenstein

Gitanas Nauseda, president of Lithuania

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg 

Luc Frieden, prime minister of Luxembourg

Robert Abela, prime minister of Malta

Prince Albert II of Monaco

Milojko Spajic, prime minister of Montenegro

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands 

Dick Schoof, prime minister of the Netherlands

Kjersti Rødsmoen, ambassador of Norway to Holy See

Andrzej Duda, president of Poland

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, president of Portugal

Mircea Abrudean, acting president of the senate of Romania

Olga Lyubimova, minister of culture of Russia

Denise Bronzetti, captain regent of San Marino

Ðuro Macut, prime minister of Serbia

Peter Pellegrini, president of Slovakia

Robert Golob, prime minister of Slovenia

King Filipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain

María Jesús Montero, vice president of Spain 

Princess Victoria of Sweden

Jakob Forssmed, minister for health and social affairs of Sweden

Karin Keller-Sutter, president of Switzerland

Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, to represent King Charles of the United Kingdom

Angela Rayner, deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine

Nuriddin Ismoilov, president speaker of Uzbekistan  

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission

Middle East and North Africa

Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, prime minister of Bahrain

Ahmed Fouad Hano, minister of culture of Egypt

Reza Salehi-Amiri, minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts of Iran

Saywan Barzani, ambassador of Iraq to Italy

Isaac Herzog, president of Israel

Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan

Nasser Sanhat Alqahtani, ambassador of Kuwait to Italy

Joseph Aoun, president of Lebanon

Aziz Akhannouch, prime minister of Morocco

Benvinda Levy, prime minister of Mozambique

Sayyid Nazar Al Julanda Majid Alsaid, ambassador of Oman to Italy  

Mahmood bin Hamad Al Hasani, ambassador of Oman to the Holy See

Ramzi Khoury, minister of religious affairs of Palestine

Varsen Aghabekian, minister of state for foreign affairs of Palestine

Issa Kassissieh, ambassador of Palestine to the Holy See

Asma Naji Al-Amri, ambassador of Qatar to the Holy See

Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz, ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Italy

Adel al-Jubeir, minister of state for foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia

Louay Fallouh, ambassador of Syria to the Holy See

Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, minister of culture and tourism of Turkey

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, United Arab Emirates

Africa

Barthélémy Kéré, president of the constitutional council of Burkina Faso 

Prosper Bazombanza, vice president of Burundi 

Paul Atanga Nji, minister of territorial administration of Cameroon

Janine Lélis, minister of defence of Cape Verde

Ahmad Makaila, ambassador of Chad to the Holy See

Rrigobert Itoua, ambassador of Congo to the Holy See

Patrick Jérôme Achi, minister of state of Côte d'Ivoire

Joaquín Mbana Nchama, ambassador of Equatorial Guinea to the Holy See

Russell Dlamini, prime minister of Eswatini

Brice Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, member of the parliament of Ghana

Yvette Sylla, ambassador of Madagascar to United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Patrick Gervais Assirvaden, minister of energy and public utilities of Mauritius 

Betty Cherwon, ambassador of Kenya to France, Portugal, Serbia, Holy See and Monaco

Lucia Witbooi, vice president of Namibia

Bola Tinubu, president of Nigeria

Jean-Baptiste Tine, interior minister of Senegal

Sylvestre Radegonde, minister for foreign affairs of Seychelles

Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile ambassador of South Africa to Italy

Monday Semaya Kumba, minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of South Sudan

Salah Mohamed Ishag Rahama, charge d'affaires of Sudan to the Holy See

Hassani Iddi Mwamweta, ambassador of Tanzania to the Holy See

Faure Gnassingbé, president of the council of ministers of Togo

Thomas Tayebwa, deputy speaker of parliament of Uganda

Macenje Mazoka, ambassador of Zambia to the Holy See

Simon Muzenda, vice president of Zimbabwe

Asia-Pacific 

Anthony Albanese, prime minister of Australia 

Tareq Md Ariful Islam, ambassador of Bangladesh to the United Nations

Harivansh Narayan Singh, deputy chairman of upper house of parliament of India

Muhaimin Iskandar, minister of community empowerment of Indonesia

Taro Aso, member of the house of representatives of Japan

Hendy Anak Assan, ambassador of Malaysia to the Holy See

Gerelmaa Davaasuren, ambassador of Mongolia to the Holy See

Hmway Hmway Khyne, ambassador of Myanmar to Italy

Tara Morton, ambassador of New Zealand to Andorra, Malta, Morocco and the Holy See

Yusuf Raza Gilani, chairman of the senate of Pakistan

Myla Grace Ragenia Macahilig, ambassador of the Philippines to the Holy See

Edwin Tong, minister for culture, community and youth of Singapore

Yoo In-chon, minister of culture, sports and tourism of South Korea

Oh Hyun-joo, ambassador of South Korea to the Holy See 

Chen Chien-jen, former vice president and ex-premier of Taiwan, to represent president Lai Ching-te of Taiwan (China)

Theerarat Samrejvanich, deputy minister of interior of Thailand

Maria Fernanda Lay, member of the national parliament of Timor-Leste

Bernard Leclerc, ambassador of Vanuatu to Israel and Russia

Duong Hai Hung, ambassador of Vietnam to Italy

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CNA Staff, May 17, 2025 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

Thousands of the faithful took to the streets of Rome on Saturday to take part in elaborate and beautiful processions by members of Catholic confraternities from around the world who gathered in the Eternal City as part of the 2025 Jubilee festivities.

A confraternity is a voluntary association of the faithful devoted to special works of Christian charity. Many date back hundreds of years

The Saturday processions were held to mark the Jubilee of Confraternities. Two processions total marched through the Roman streets and ended at the Circus Maximus.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 17, 2025 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Information Center (CIC) on Saturday held its third annual Eucharistic procession through Washington, D.C. in which more than 1,000 participants processed through the downtown area with the Blessed Sacrament. 

Father Charles Trullols, the director of the CIC, told CNA the day was "perfect."

The event kicked off with a Mass at CIC's chapel. The group of attendees was so large that it could not fit inside the chapel itself, sending people to watch the Mass on a screen outside where they were eventually brought Holy Communion. 

The procession began after Mass and was led by the crossbearer, candle-bearers, religious sisters, and young children who recently received their first Holy Communion and who laid rose petals ahead of the Eucharist.

Trullols carried the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance and held it high for the crowd to witness and follow. A choir, priests, and lay people followed behind through the downtown area.

As the group walked, attendees said prayers and sang hymns. Some bystanders joined in and others kneeled as the procession passed by.

Gerard McNair-Lewis, a development associate at CIC, noted that the event is held during May, "the month of Mary." 

"What better way to celebrate Mary than to honor her son's Eucharistic presence?" he said.

The group processed down K Street. The Eucharist in the procession was "the closest tabernacle to the White House," McNair-Lewis said. It's "a great testament that religious things happen in our nation's capital."

Throughout the procession the group stopped at different locations to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament and hear the gospel. At one stop, Monsignor Charles Pope spoke outside the veteran's affairs office.

Pope praised veterans and the military, pointing out that "many put their lives on the line so that others can live in greater security and freedom." He said these individuals "imitate Jesus who lays down His life so we can live eternally."

Krista Anderson, an attendee from Virgina, told CNA that her husband Micheal Simpson was a staff sergeant for the United States Army who was killed in Afghanistan. 

She felt the moment to honor veterans was a message from God.

Craig Carter flew into Washington for a work trip and "happened to see [the procession]." 

A Protestant, Carter said God "wanted me to come to D.C. early just to pray." He joined the procession, he said, because God "has been working on [his] heart." 

"Adoration has always been super special to me in my Catholic faith," Lydia Vaccaro, a young attendee from Virgina, told CNA. "So it brought me here."

"It's a beautiful witness," said attendee Hannah Hermann.

"I like being in front of processions like this, where you're out and people see," Hermann said. "I've heard conversion stories from people who witness a procession."

"The procession was beautiful," Trullols told CNA after the event concluded. "Every year it is getting better."

 "We know how to do it better and it's growing – the quantity of people, the attention, and also the way we organize the liturgy and the music," Trullols said.

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CNA Staff, May 17, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

The Vatican's sacred music school is seeking to teach Catholics worldwide how to sing ancient Gregorian chant as a means to help the faithful participate actively in the liturgy, including in papal Masses.

The Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music said this week it is launching its "Let's Sing with the Pope" initiative as a series of "short educational video tutorials" to make Gregorian music accessible to everyone.

The institute described Gregorian chant as a "rich heritage" and a "universal musical and spiritual language" used in papal Masses and other celebrations.

The video series will help "promote active and conscious participation in the liturgy," including in upcoming papal celebrations, the institute said in an Instagram post.

In the initial video of the series, Father Robert Mehlhart, OP, the rector of the pontifical institute, demonstrated how the greeting of the Mass is sung by both the celebrant and the assembly.

The instructions will "help the people of God sing along with the Holy Father during the upcoming major liturgical celebrations," the institute said.

The Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music was founded by Pope Pius X in 1910. It is located in Rome, just west of Vatican City, at the former site of the Pontifical Abbey of St. Jerome-in-the-City.

The institute says it "currently has 153 students from 44 countries," 10 of whom will sing in the guide choir at Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass this weekend.

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CNA Staff, May 17, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

For Catholic students in the United States, the election of Pope Leo XIV as the first American pope on May 8 filled them with excitement and hope.

Or, as one student put it: "Everyone just freaked out."

Students shared memories of the day with Roselle Reyes, news correspondent for "EWTN News In Depth," on Friday.

Bahkita Karenge, a Catholic school student in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, remembered the excitement of finding out during the school day. Students were "screaming," "jumping and laughing," and giving hugs.  

"It was so beautiful because at that moment, it didn't really matter which sport you played or which friend group you were in or which trend you were following," Karenge reflected.

"Everyone was just a young Catholic kid, and everyone was excited that we have a new leader."

Karenge remembered how "everyone joined in" singing the national anthem together after they found out. 

"America represents a lot of different people coming together, so I think [Pope Leo XIV will] really try to make everyone's voice across the world feel heard, and I think that's good as a new pope," Karenge added.

Hopes for 'revival' 

Students shared their hopes for what Pope Leo XIV will bring to the world. 

Arlington Catholic student Benjamin Lee observed that Leo is known "from a lot of places around the world" and said he hopes this will "attract" more people to Catholicism. 

The pope grew up in Chicago and spent about a dozen years as a missionary in Peru and has dual citizenship. 

"I hope that more people will become Catholic through that, knowing that he is the first American pope," Lee said. 

"He's also Peruvian," said Catholic student Alison de River. "I'm Peruvian, too, so it makes me really happy." 

Another student, Andreas Millradt, said he hopes Pope Leo XIV will bring about a "revival." 

"I hope Pope Leo XIV will bring a new revival to the U.S. to help everyone come to Jesus, learn who he is and what he can do for us," Millradt said. 

One Catholic school student, Patrick Aogauer, expressed hope that an American pope will show the universality of the Church. 

"I really hope that his new papacy will expand the Catholic Church and show Americans that, yes, it's universal," he said. 

'A frenzy'

Students recounted how special it was to experience such a historical moment with their classmates. 

Millradt remembered that "everyone just freaked out" when they learned the new pope was Cardinal Robert Prevost from the U.S.  

"Everyone went into a frenzy," Millradt said. "It was incredible."

"I feel really proud that we have our first American pope, and that it feels like we're all united," Millradt continued.

As they were watching the conclave, Millradt said his classmates discussed how they've never had an American pope.

"I feel like it was such a blessing being able to see this, such a historical moment and share it with all my schoolmates," he added. 

Jennifer Meszaros, a local Catholic who attends Our Lady of the Blue Ridge Parish, reflected on how Pope Leo gives young Catholics a deeper connection to the Vatican. 

"I think it brings the Vatican closer to these kids, gives them something tangible, and they can relate to," Meszaros said. 

"Chicago, they know that," she continued. "He plays tennis, they play tennis."

For her part, Meszaros said she hopes the new pope will bring "youth movement back to the Church, which we desperately need for the future of our Church." 

Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, reflected on the "enthusiasm" from young people reacting to the new announcement. 

"There is a real excitement because it represents that the Lord has spoken to us," Burbidge said. 

He "gave us a new shepherd," Burbidge continued. "I think young people are responding well to that." 

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Vatican City, May 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The Mass for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV's pontificate will be celebrated on Sunday, May 18, at 10 a.m. Rome time in St. Peter's Square. The liturgy will mark the official beginning of his ministry as successor of Peter and bishop of Rome. On May 25, he will take canonical possession of St. John Lateran Basilica, the cathedral of the bishop of Rome.

The Mass on May 18 will be celebrated as established in the "Order of Rites of the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry as Bishop of Rome," a liturgical book approved by Benedict XVI in 2005 and reformed by him in 2013.

"The beginning of the Petrine ministry is what the celebration of the coronation of the pope used to be. Now, popes are no longer crowned with the three-tiered tiara, worn until Paul VI, but rather begin their ministry as the successor of Peter," Father Juan José Silvestre explained to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. Silvestre is a professor of liturgy in the University of Navarra's theology department.

In addition, during this ceremony, Leo XIV will receive the pallium and the fisherman's ring, two elements with profound theological and pastoral significance that mark the start of his pontificate.

The beginning of the pontificate also includes taking canonical possession of the other three papal basilicas, including St. John Lateran Basilica, the cathedral of Rome and thus of the pope.

The taking possession of St. John Lateran Basilica will take place on May 25 and has a distinctive character. "It defines the Holy Father as such, or rather, it is a reminder that he is the bishop of Rome," Silvestre noted.

"Just as a bishop, once appointed, has a period of two months to take possession of his cathedral, his seat, so the pope, as bishop, will also be received by the cathedral chapter and once seated in his cathedra [bishop's throne or chair] in St. John Lateran of the Diocese of Rome, he will receive the expression of obedience and respect from a representative group from the Diocese of Rome," he noted.

Mass for the inauguration of the pontificate

According to the program, the solemn ceremony on May 18 will begin inside St. Peter's Basilica, before the Altar of Confession. "Pope Leo XIV will go before the tomb of the Apostle Peter to pray there in silence, moments before the solemn Mass for the initiation of his Petrine ministry as bishop of Rome," Silvestre explained.

The patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome will also participate in this moment of recollection and prayer. Afterward, the liturgical procession to St. Peter's Square will begin, led by the pope from inside the basilica to the outdoor altar where Mass will be celebrated.

During the procession, the "Laudes Regiae" ("Royal Praises"), a solemn litany of the saints appropriate for this occasion, is intoned. "It is a particular form of the Litany of the Saints in which the intercession of the saints is sought, grouped in distinct groups, to pray for the holiness of the pope," the liturgical expert said.

This ancient liturgical chant accompanied Roman imperial victories in the distant past. It was revived by Emperor Charlemagne on Christmas Day in the year 800 during his coronation as emperor and has since become a solemn hymn for monarchical rites.

Also sung for the kings of France and the sovereigns of England until the Reformation, the "Laudes Regiae" evoke a central theological truth: All earthly power comes from God and must be exercised with humility and responsibility.

The pallium and the fisherman's ring

One of the central moments of the rite is the presentation of the signs of the Petrine ministry, "the two elements that mark the beginning of the pontificate. Previously, the tiara was placed on the pope, but now the important elements are the papal pallium and the fisherman's ring," Silvestre related.

Both elements have profound theological and pastoral significance. "The pallium, which is a kind of stole or scarf, is made of sheep's wool and represents the pope as a shepherd who carries the flock, that is, the Church, on his shoulders," the liturgy expert explained.

Regarding the fisherman's ring, the priest said that "it's a kind of gold ring on which a representation of St. Peter in his boat and the pope's name are engraved." This ring also has a practical function because "it is used to seal documents." 

Until this Sunday's Mass, the pontiff has been wearing his usual episcopal ring. After the rite of presentation of both elements, the College of Cardinals' act of fidelity to the new pope will take place.

"We will see a representation of the cardinals — on behalf of the entire college — approach the Holy Father to express their reverence, obedience, and ecclesial communion," Silvestre said.

Proclamation of the Gospel in Greek and Latin

Another of the main features of this Mass marking the inauguration of the pontificate is the proclamation of the Gospel in Greek and Latin, because "the successor of Peter is the pope of the Eastern Catholics and the Latin Catholics."

After the inaugural Mass at St. Peter's, Leo XIV will take possession of the other three papal basilicas. On Tuesday, May 20, he will take possession of St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica. On Sunday, May 25, his second Regina Caeli will be celebrated, and on that same day he will take possession of the basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major.

The visit to St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica on May 20 will focus on the veneration of the tomb of the apostle to the Gentiles: "We will see the pope pray at the tomb of St. Paul."

Finally, the visit to St. Mary Major Basilica — where Pope Francis used to go and where he is buried — will include Marian devotion. "During his visit to St. Mary Major, Pope Leo XIV will venerate the most famous icon of the city of Rome, the 'Salus Populi Romani' ['Protection of the Roman People']," Silvestre added.

Universal and diplomatic dimension

In any case, Silvestre emphasized that the Mass for the inauguration of the pontificate will have a clearly universal character because it "emphasizes the Holy Father as the pastor of the universal Church."

Therefore, in addition to thousands of faithful, heads of state, and diplomatic representatives from various countries will attend. "The Holy See has diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries," the liturgical expert noted.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 16, 2025 / 18:03 pm (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump has tapped San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone to serve on an advisory board for the country's newly established Religious Liberty Commission, according to an announcement from the archdiocese.

Cordileone, who has served as archbishop since 2012, is the third member of the Catholic hierarchy to be given a role in the presidential commission's work. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York and Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, are members of the commission.

"Religious liberty is a critical issue in our time that needs to be defended and addressed," Cordileone said in a statement. "I am happy to join my brother bishops in providing a Catholic voice on this important topic at a national level."

Cordileone told CNA he does not know what the specific tasks on the advisory board will be but that one objective is to get the perspective of religious leaders. "It's important to have a Catholic [voice]" on the advisory board to ensure the Church's concerns are heard, he said.

The archbishop noted several state and federal attacks on religious liberty in recent years, such as the Affordable Care Act's contraception mandate that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. He expressed opposition to any possible insurance coverage mandates for in vitro fertilization (IVF), which the Church opposes.

He also raised concerns about a new Washington state law that tries to force priests to violate the seal of confession if they learn about child abuse during the sacrament of reconciliation. In 2019, he noted, lawmakers in California debated a similar bill, which "galvanized Catholics" to oppose its adoption. The U.S. Department of Justice is currently investigating the Washington state law.

Cordileone further emphasized the need to allow religious organizations to continue their services to the poor, the homeless, mothers, migrants, and others "without interference from the government."

The archbishop said that religious organizations should be "able to serve the community in accordance with our moral values, which we get from our faith," adding: "We don't want our government defining for us what our religion is."

The new commission

Trump established the commission through an executive order on May 1, which coincided with the country's National Day of Prayer.

The commission is tasked with creating a report on the current threats to religious freedom in the United States and providing strategies to improve legal protections for those rights. The report will also outline the foundations of religious liberty and include guidance on how to increase awareness about the peaceful religious pluralism in the United States.

Some of the key religious liberty subjects the report is tasked with handling include parental rights in education, school choice, conscience protections, free speech for religious bodies, institutional autonomy, and attacks on houses of worship.

The president established the commission because of concerns that some federal and state policies have infringed on those rights.

Other members of the commission include Protestant leaders, such as Pastor Paula White, along with rabbis and imams. Ethics and Public Policy Center President Ryan Anderson, who is Catholic, is also on the commission. Psychologist and television personality Dr. Phil McGraw and renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson are also members.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, an evangelical Christian, is the commission's chairman.

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